Article content Joseph Filiplic changed the way he taught during the pandemic. He's not going back to the way he taught.
Article content "When everyone was learning online, many also were working from their homes. I observed that a lot of my students were taking on extra tasks at home. They were taking on the role as babysitters for younger siblings , and more," he says of his J.J. Bowlen Catholic Junior High pupils. "I had to make sure that I was reaching my students. They were being pulled in various directions and doing something completely new to me.
The answer is: What Filiplic calls a flipped lesson, which is based on Microsoft tools for education including video-conferencing platforms Teams and note-taking application OneNote and video-discussion software Flipgrid. "I would record all my lessons and put them on YouTube, then I would integrate them into Teams and OneNote," says Filiplic. From there, the course materials and assignments were accessible on any device.
At first, he hoped his students would get through the epidemic without any setbacks. However, to his delight they did more than just survive with the illness: they prospered. Even though they had failed in traditional classroom environments, the kids were still succeeding. However, now he was able to reach students who learn differently, too. Many students struggle with difficulties with language, learning disabilities as well as shyness.
"I knew right at that point that I wouldn't be able to return to the old method of stand-and-deliver. It must be more interactive from now on. It needs to be more cooperative," he says. Therefore, when in-person classes returned the digital tools remained. Filiplic continues to record his lectures on video which allows students to respond via Flipgrid. His students can call or message him via Teams whenever they want to. It's a lot like a modern workplace, with fluid hours and self-motivated employees. Filiplic states, "My students don't stay within the four walls no longer." They know that the teaching isn't over when the bell rings. It has broken down a lot of barriers.
Content of the article From the beginning it was sensible to go with Microsoft, the most prestigious standard for the work world Filiplic says. Filiplic. Blogging is good "I thought, OK, I'm teaching social studies but am I only teaching that one subject or am I teaching my students to become better social citizens? And what is going to occur when they grow older? He says that everything pointed towards Microsoft.
As an organization, Microsoft has been laser-focused on the education market, in particular with the recent launch of Windows SE, a cloud-based version of its renowned operating software. The new platform will be accessible on budget-friendly "cloud first" tablets and laptops from Acer, Asus, Dell and more, and Microsoft directly under the Surface brand.
Paige Johnson, Microsoft vice president of education marketing, states that Windows SE has purpose-built features that will help students from K-8 in the ways we heard them asking for. The new interface minimizes visual distractions, like and puts inclusive, flexible learning tools front and centre. They include Microsoft Teams and OneNote, and features like Reading Progress - an AI tool that helps teachers evaluate students' fluency remotely - as well as Immersive Reader is an interactive reading comprehension and learning tool that makes texts more accessible to students of all ages.
"Reading Progress is great for allowing educators to focus on teaching where they need it," says Johnson. "For instance If I realized that all my students did not pronounce the word 'physical' correctly, I might realize that I'm not speaking it out loud or that I need to give them more reading examples with that word in it.
Article content The company also offers free Microsoft 365 for students that comes packaged with Flipgrid and an educational edition of Minecraft, the popular world-building video game.
For Filiplic, these new releases are bound to open new possibilities in a field rife with opportunity for students, teachers and even parents who are now able to keep track with their children's development like never before. His YouTube videos have been a hit with teachers across Canada as well and he's been helping others to change the paradigm on the lecture model.
"I'm in my 17th year of teaching and I have so much energy I'm feeling like a first-year teacher again," he says. "I'm grateful to have found these tools, as I'm sure I'm able to reach my students in a way that I have never before. I can't go back. I won't go back."
This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia's commercial content division on behalf of Microsoft.
Please share this article on your social networks